Combination puzzle and educational game



July 8, 1969 M. RAPAPORT COMBINATION PUZZLE AND EDUCATIONAL GAME FiledApril 17, 1967 INVENTOR- T m WWW M M m w 2 a My 43 United States Patent3,453,750 COMBINATION PUZgIIQE AND EDUCATIONAL Gerald M. Rapaport,Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Toy and Furniture Co., Inc.,Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 17, 1967, Ser. No.631,509 Int. 'Cl. (20% 19/04, 19/06; A63h 33/04 US. Cl. 35--35 1 ClaimABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination puzzle and educational game inwhich there is a mounting board formed of magnetically attractablematerial and puzzle elements each equipped with permanent magnetsattractable to the board for removable attachment thereto, the puzzleelements comprising interfitting sections forming an object whenproperly interfitted together and each section bearing a portion of theword describing the object formed by the sections when properlyinterfitted together.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The principal object of my invention is not only toafford amusement by requiring a child to properly interfit the sectionsof the puzzle element together to form an object, but also to provide amedium of educating the child by associating a word with the object. Theinvention is advantageous over the prior art in that each section of thepuzzle element has associated therewith a portion of the word whichdescribes or identifies the object formed when the puzzle sections areproperly interfitted together. The invention may employ objects ofvarious shapes and designs and of different character thereby to afforda wide range of objects and words for the amusement and education of thechild.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the puzzle sections shown in exploded relationwith respect to each other;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3-3 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the invention showing a different puzzlecharacter from that shown in FIG. 1.

While I have shown in the drawings of this application the character orthe object of the puzzle element as being in the form of a house andalso in the form of a dog, it is to be understood that the puzzleelement may take a wide range of characters, such as animals, buildings,scenes, and the like.

To accomplish the several objects of the invention, I provide a mountingboard which is substantially fiat and formed of magnetically attractablematerial such, for example, soft iron or the like.

The puzzle object is generally indicated at 11 and in the presentinstance comprises a plurality of sections 12, 13 and 14, which may beformed of any suitable material, such as plastic. The abutting edges 15of such sections are irregular so as to add to the amusement and theskill of the child in placing the sections in proper interfittingrelation with respect to each other upon the mountmg board 10 so as toform the object 11.

Formed along corresponding edges on each sect on 12, 13 and 14, areintegral extensions 16 forming 3,453,750 Patented July 8, 1969alphabetical letters which, when the sections 12, 13 and 14 are properlyinterfitted together, form a word which describes or identifies theobject 11 thus produced by the mterfitting sections. In the presentinstance, the object shown in FIG. 1 is a house and the letters of thesections 12, 13 and 14 form the word HOUSE.

By such arrangement the child is educated to associate the word thusspelled out, with the object formed by the interfitting sections.

In FIG. 4 of the drawings, the object there shown is in the form of adog 17 which comprises a plurality of interfitting sections 18, 19 and20, each integrally carrying an extension 21, 22 and 23 in the form ofletters of the alphabet which, when the puzzle sections are properlyinterfitted, spell out the Word DOG, thus identifying to the child theobject formed by the interfitting sections.

In the preferred form of construction there is provided in the rearsurface of each of the puzzle sections 12, 13 and 14, as well as 18, 19and 20, a recess 24. Mounted in the recess 24 are permanent magnets 25which are attracted to the board 10 for removably holding the puzzlesections in place when positioned upon the board 10-.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A combination puzzle and educational toy comprising:

(a) a relatively flat mounting board formed of magnetically attractablematerial,

(b) a plurality of puzzle sections adapted to form an object in reliefon one surface of the mounting board,

(c) each of said puzzle sections providing a preformed edgeinterconnectable with a corresponding edge of one of the other puzzlesections,

(d) third dimensional extensions in the shape of alphabetical lettersintegrally formed out of one edge of each of said puzzle sections andpositioned with respect to the preformed edge thereof so as to beequally spaced from each other to form a word designation for the objectwhen said puzzle sections have their preformed edges interfitted, and

(e) magnetic elements carried by each of said puzzle sections andattractable to the board for removably holding said sections upon thesurface of said board.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,230,263 6/1917 Alexander 35-351,428,456 9/1922 Strangers 35-71 2,002,077 5/ 1935 Darling et a1273--157 3,181,869 5/1965 Genin et al 273-157 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, PrimaryExaminer.

HARLAND S, SKOGQUIST, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 357l; 273-157

